do { enjoy(); } while ( designing == play );

Sometimes outsourcing your business needs is the best way to a cost cutting, also that frees you up for more (or less)) important tasks. And the question is – who is more preferable for hire, a freelance individual (or a small firm) or a large company.

I see the main reasons for hiring a freelancer as:

The cost.
A Common Freelancer inhabits at home, he has not overhead costs like office rent and additional bills (in case if you’re hiring an agency, the rates includes the cost of employing staff who do other things that may not be relevant to your project).

Direct communication and Speed.
Dealing directly with a freelancer shortens the project duration, because he is the very person who is working for you. As the communication between you both is clear and easy, you will be able to get your job faster (being a freelance web designer I work irregular hours to compete, often more than 8 hours a day and 5 days a week – enough coffee is a must!) and according to all your amends.

Flexibility.
One person turns around more quickly than a team of project managers, designers, developers, especially when it comes to design changes.

Reliability.
Usually freelancers are highly specialized and they pick projects themselves. A freelance designer may not fire oneself, he will finish your project anyway. And when you direct to him with the future updates, you will be sure that he is the same person who knows your project from the very beginning till the end.

Passion.
Seeing the whole project gives a freelance designer more passion than a web design company could have, especially if the company is quite large and there are a lot of people dealing only with small parts of the entire work. Every man to his own taste ;), working with an individual, your chances to get more holistic and creative result is growing.

As a web designer, I’m passionate about my work. I do what I like and get some (small) money for that. Of course, my arguments on this subject matter are going to be bias… that it is, but hiring a freelancer is good enough way to solve your business problems.